Misogyny

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Misogyny is an exaggerated antipathy toward women. Compared with anti-woman sexism or misandry (antipathy toward men), misogyny is usually regarded as directed against women by some men, though women can also harbor misogynistic views. In feminist theory, misogyny is recognized as a political ideology similar to racism or anti-Semitism, existing to justify and reproduce the subordination of women by men. The etymology of misogyny comes from the Greek and means to hate (misein) woman (gyne).

1 Forms of misogyny
2 Misogyny in philosophy and religion
3 Misogyny in culture
4 Further readings
5 See also
6 External links

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Forms of misogyny

There are many different forms of the idea of misogyny. In its most overt expression, a misogynist will openly hate all women simply because they are female. Some sexual predators may fall into this category.

Other forms of misogyny may be more subtle. Some misogynists may simply hold all women under suspicion, or may hate women who don't fall into one or more acceptable categories. Entire cultures may be said to be misogynist if they treat women in ways that can be seen as hateful. Examples include forcing women to tend to all domestic responsibilites, demanding silence from a woman, or beating a woman constantly. Subscribers to one model, the mother/whore dichotomy, hold that women can only be "mothers" or "whores".

Frequently the term misogynist is used in a looser sense as a term of derision to describe anyone who holds an unpopular or distasteful view about women as a group. A man who considers himself "a great lover of women," therefore, might somewhat paradoxically be termed a misogynist by those who consider his treatment of women sexist.

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Misogyny in philosophy and religion

Many religions and philosophies contain what could be called misogyny. Paul insisted that women should not talk in church ("women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says." -1 Cor 14:34 NIV). In Hinduism, the Code of Manu makes women incapable of ever being independent. At times in Indian history, it was customary for a woman to be pushed onto the funeral pyre of her husband (see sati). In Islam, women are by Sharia law forbidden to show any part of their body in public except their face, hands or the top of their feet. There is, however, wide disagreement from followers of these religions that these various teachings are misogynistic.

The 16th century Protestant reformer John Knox wrote a book called The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women in which he argued against the ability of women to govern.

Some of the most famous philosophers exhibited misogyny at times. Arthur Schopenhauer, in a very sophisticated epistemological discussion in his main work, included the sentence, "Reason is feminine in nature: it can only give after it has received". Nietzsche is known for arguing that every higher form of civilisation implied stricter controls on women [Beyond Good and Evil, 7:238]; he frequently insulted women, but is best known for the phrases, "Women are less than shallow", "Woman was God's second blunder," and "Are you going to women? Do not forget the whip!" Napoleon, Machiavelli, Aristotle, Tolstoy and even the progressive Rousseau were also known for making cruel comments about women. (It should also be noted, however, that philosophers such as Pythagoras, John Stuart Mill, Frederick Engels, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Henry George supported feminism.)

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Misogyny in culture

(n.b. Several entries that follow clearly employ misogyny for ironic or satirical purposes)

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet chides his mother Gertrude for her decision to marry his uncle Claudius immediately after his father's death with the infamous line: "Frailty, thy name is woman!" (I, ii, 146)
British poet Robert Gould wrote a number of explicitly misogynistic satires in the 1680s.
In the 19th century, Swedish dramatist and novelist August Strindberg had a powerful and overt misogynistic philosophy.
Grumpy, in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, says "All females is poison! They're full of wicked wiles!"
Gaston from Disney's Beauty and the Beast first says that it's not right for a woman to read, then later calls Belle his "little wife" and says that Belle and he will have six or seven "strapping boys" like himself.
Anal Cunt, a noisecore shock band (in)famous for their intentionally offensive lyrics, often write songs with mysogynist themes such as "Women: Nature's Punching Bag", "You're Pregnant, So I Kicked You In the Stomach", and "I Became a Counselor So I Could Tell Rape Victims They Asked For It".
R&B group Bell Biv DeVoe famously sang, "Never trust a big butt and a smile" in their hit song "Poison".
Rap artist Snoop Doggy Dogg has long been criticized for his mysogynist lyrics, especially in the 1990s. As of late, he has been trying successfully to repair this image of himself.
Comedian Andrew Dice Clay was famous for misogynist rants in his routines.
Punk rock singer GG Allin was infamous for misogynist songs.
Some feminists considered The Rolling Stones' "Stupid Girl", "Yesterday's Papers", and "Midnight Rambler" to be misogynistic.
The goth-metal group Type O Negative have often produced misogyny in their songs. One line claimed, "is there no difference between women and fire? The one burns the spirit, the other the flesh!" The first album, Slow Deep and Hard, is particularly misogynist.
Rapper Eminem has been labeled by some critics, including electronic musician Moby, as a misogynist.
In ancient times, Roman satirist Juvenal, in particular his sixth satire.
Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver quotes "I realize now how much she's just like the others, cold and distant, and many people are like that, women for sure, they're like a union."
The comedy film How to Murder Your Wife has been criticised for misogyny.